Four years ago, he quit his job as the publisher and sole employee of a small newspaper in Newburyport, Mass., and moved north into the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

There, in between rambles in the woods with Atticus M. Finch, a miniature schnauzer and Ryan's longtime canine companion, he sat down and wrote "Following Atticus: Forty-Eight High Peaks, One Little Dog and an Extraordinary Friendship."

The story follows Ryan's rapid transformation from a sedentary, overweight newspaperman to an avid hiker, inspired by the intrepid and unflappable Atticus and their growing bond. In their first year of hiking, Ryan embarks on a quest to climb all 48 of the peaks in New Hampshire that are higher than 4,000 feet. The next year, he decides to try climbing them in the winter -- twice.

Ryan and Atticus will be stopping at the central branch of the Schenectady County Public Library Saturday as part of their book tour. Whether it is the inspirational story or the furry and lovable co-star, Ryan's early book signings are attracting hundreds of fans. Now the writer's biggest concern is whether he and Atticus will be able to maintain their relatively newfound peaceful existence.

Q: "Following Atticus" is about you and Atticus, but it's also about you and your father and you and Newburyport. Would you call it a dog book? A hiking book? A memoir?

A: It's more like a quest. The journey that we're on, that we're continuing to be on, takes place in the mountains, takes place in the city, but it's more of an inward journey. It's about growth. I just like to say it's a story about two friends and about what we've experienced.

There was so much I wanted to say. Even though I was pointing out some flaws in my father, my city and myself, the city that I love (Newburyport), I wanted to write about it in a loving way. So I pretended I have grandchildren and I was at the end of my life and I wanted them to know this great story. Every chapter I wrote individually as a letter to the grandchildren I don't have, hoping they would see things -- that could be dark, that could be light, that could be exciting things, that could be sad things -- but try to see it in a more loving light.

Q: It's clear from the book that Atticus is a very special dog.

A: He's more of a philosopher than a dog. Most dogs I've seen hike on the trail run back and forth and do two or three times the mileage a normal person would do. But not him. He's always just straight ahead of me on the path, going very slow, sort of like a pack horse. His personality is just very calm, and he does a lot of watching.

Q: What types of hikes are you and Atticus doing now? Are you still peak-bagging?

A: We don't hike by lists anymore. You get to the point where it just gets to be rote. Now it's more for the experiences, just the idea of being out there, looking for great sunsets or a full moon. A lot of my friends who do the 48 over and over again are trying to do the grid, all 48 in all 12 months, which is the new thing for a lot of people to do. They've never done some of the great summits in the state, because they're not 4,000-footers. So we're at the point now where we just hike where it's beautiful, and I don't think it matters to him at all.

Q: Are you getting recognized more often now?

A: When people see Atticus, it's interesting how they react. Up in the mountains, most times it's a celebrity experience for them. 'Oh, I need his picture, I need his picture.' Other times, I think it's great when people just walk by us as if they know us from our blog or something else we've done, and they'll say hello - -- "Hello, Tom. Hello, Atticus" -- and just keep going. It's nice just fitting in.

I'm a little worried about the book making us too big in some ways. ... I like the idea that on tour we're going to be out there, we're going to be meeting people and interacting, but when we go back to the mountains, we can just be us again.

Q: You go from not being a hiker at all to hiking all 48 of the 4,000-foot mountains in New Hampshire in your first summer on the trail. What was driving you?

A: Life is short. My first 15 years of adulthood, I worried about how I was going to screw up and then trying to do everything perfectly instead of trying to figure out how to live. I didn't want to come to the end of it all and think that I didn't do things that I wanted to do. I wanted to live a full life. Raising Atticus, I cleaned up my life and did a lot better by my life than I used to, and it made me a better person for a while. It's probably the best thing I've ever done in my life. I know it's not just Atticus, it's our story, but I feel honored to be able to tell this story about a friend.

Q: You gave up a career to move to New Hampshire. What do you do now?

A: I write and I hike. ... It's "follow your bliss." Get into a place where you're following something you're passionate about and the doors will open up for you somehow. You just have to get out of your way to doing it. I guess getting out of Atticus's way also helped me get out of my own way.

There are a lot more adventures to go.

No matter what happens in your life --- when you get a promotion or lose your job or your dog gets sick or dies or a new puppy comes into your life -- life goes on, and so the adventures continue. The only difference is I look at it in a different frame of reference now.

Before, I didn't have much of a center. I was looking for that center, running around trying to find out who I was. Luckily, I found it. My job is to protect it and to nurture it and to keep it there as much as possible.

Notes: The event is co-sponsored by the Animal Protective Foundation and the Mohawk-Hudson Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club. Attendees are encouraged to bring a pet item (canned dog and cat food, pet supplies, paper goods) to donate to the APF. A pet goody bag will also be raffled. The Open Door Bookstore at 128 Jay St., Schenectady, is offering a 20 percent discount on "Following Atticus" through Friday and will be selling copies at the library the day of the event. Please leave your dogs at home.